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23
FEATURE
Workplace health and safety since the tragedy at Pike
River: a case study---The Resident Doctors' Dispute --
safer hours: safer rosters
By Hazel Armstrong
Based on a presentation given as part of the Public Health Seminar Series, hosted by
University of Otago Wellington
On 19 November 2010, a methane explosion occurred in the
Pike River mine, killing 29 men. Methane is found naturally
in coal, and is explosive when it reaches 5–15% in volume of
air. So the accumulation of methane must be prevented for the safety
of the workers. Coal was being extracted by hydro mining which
produces large quantities of methane. There were numerous warnings
of potential catastrophe; in the last 48 days before the explosion there
had been 21 reports of methane levels reaching explosive volumes. The
company was focused on keeping operations going, so warnings were
ignored.
The Government set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry that found,
among other things, that directors should be held to account.
Directors (offcers) should assure themselves that health and safety
risks are being properly managed. It found that the sad reality
was that the Department of Labour had lost industry and worker
confdence. Its strategic leadership was insuffcient and it lacked
expertise at senior levels.
Following the Royal Commission, the Government appointed an
Independent Task Force into Workplace health and safety which said
that NZ suffers from:
• lack of regulation
• a weak regulator
• poor worker engagement and representation
• inadequate leadership.
Have lessons learnt at the
cost of lives been retained?